Lessons Of the Growing Heart
by BlahBlahBlah1
Summary: Here is the sequel to no longer a child! I finally got an idea for it!!!! Three new cards challenge Sakura in ways that she hasn't been countered before. How cruel will the new cards be? Can Sakura take the torment the cards inflict? Can Syoaran help her
1. Why we had to go to China

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS  
  
Well, here it is! The sequel to my first CCS Fiction, No Longer A Child! It's going to be like a Three Card/ Three part mini-series. Please R&R as always. I hope you like my new story. And on with the Fiction  
  
  
  
Lessons of the Growing Heart: Part 1   
Why We Had to Go to China  
By BlahBlahBlah  
  
  
Sakura walked into the tranquil apartment after a hard cheerleading practice. She was tired, but it was a good tired. She had gotten a good work out. Syoaran was still at soccer practice and she had just enough time to take a shower and make dinner before he got home.   
  
Setting her large red gym bag down, Sakura walked over to the answering machine and pushed 'PLAY.' "Message 1. 3:46 PM, Wednesday." The machine droned.   
  
"Hey Sakura, it's Tomoyo. I finished designing your wedding dress and invitations! Now all I need is the wedding date. It all looks fabulous and it's perfect for you. I'm so glad you let me be your wedding planner! Call me! Oh, and P.S. You better call the guys. I need their measurements. I have to coolest idea for Kero's outfit!"  
  
"The Guys" now meant to Kinomoto residence. Touya, Fujitaka, and Kero lived all by themselves. It was sort of like their bachelor pad even though Kero would probably never get married and Fujitaka never wanted to remarry. Even though they constantly told Sakura how much they wanted her home, she new they loved not having a girl around. 'They never have to put the toilet seat down, and never have to put anything away unless company is coming.' Sakura thought humorously.  
  
"Message 2. 5:34 PM, Wednesday" The answering devise didn't give Sakura any time to think further.  
  
"Syoaran, you can't hide forever. The Elder's keep getting closer and closer to where you are. I can only keep it from them so long. The clan isn't too happy either. They want their leader. You can't run from your responsibilities, Syoaran. If you wait any longer the clan could keep you in isolation training forever. You have to work something out, and sometimes ,Syoaran, certain things or people have to be sacrificed for honor and responsibilities. I know this will be painful for you, but you have to come home. I recommend coming alone, so you can say your permanent good-byes all together."  
  
Sakura was in tears. How could Li have lied to her. He had said that they would be together forever. They were supposed to get married and live in a nice house with a white picked fence and have two kids and live happily ever after! This couldn't be happening!  
  
(A Half Hour Later)  
  
  
Sore and tired, Syoaran walked into his apartment. Where was Sakura. He didn't hear the shower running, or anyone cooking. Walking past the small kitchen to the living room Syoaran caught sight of Sakura. She had her head down in her arms. Syoaran got a little closer.   
  
"You had a phone call from your mother," Sakura whispered with a sore throat. It was clear she had been crying. 'How could she know about that!' Syoaran thought in panic.  
  
~~~~~ Flash Back to that Morning ~~~~~  
  
Syoaran rolled over to the sound of the phone. Afraid to wake Sakura, he lightly put his feet on the floor and picked up the phone.   
  
"Syoaran?"  
"Yes"  
"Are you alright?"  
"Yes"  
"Are you coming home?"  
"No"  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes"  
"You know the consciences, righ..."  
"Yes"  
"Well, good-bye,"  
"Bye"  
  
~~~~ End Flashback ~~~~~ (Bet you wondered what that phone call was in the epilogue)  
  
  
"Sakura, I was going to tell you," Syoaran tried to explain. Sakura was standing now, shaking with tears. "How could you not tell me? I tell you everything! I've told you everything since I was ten years old! How much haven't YOU told ME over these years! If you had told me this sooner I could have helped. Your procrastination has only made things worse! Why, Li, why!?" It hurt Syoaran that Sakura had gone back to using the name Li.   
  
"Sakura, you have all the right in the world to be angry at me and I don't deserve your forgiveness. I thought that the problem would just go away if I ignored it! I was afraid I would lose you too soon. I wanted to be near you as long as I could. I felt like it was all going to end. I wanted to be with you as long as I could," Syoaran continued to explained, "Sakura, I love you and I couldn't bare to never see you again. I felt that we'd used up all our hope."   
  
Sakura feel to her knees crying. Rushing over and wrapping Sakura in a comforting embrace Syoaran muttered, "Please forgive me." "Now we're going to lose each other again, but this time forever. It would be easier to stay mad at you in some ways, but not in the long run. Oh, Syoaran, why does loving someone so much make you unable to love anyone else," Sakura gave a weak laugh and rubbed her eyes, "Syoaran, you've ruined me. Now if your gone, I'm forced to wait for you even if you never come. How can love be so torturous and evil." Syoaran stroked her hair and answered, "It's not love that's evil. Love is the devine bliss that I feel at the very thought of you and the indescribably paradise I'm in when I hold you in my arms. Love gave me you to wake up to every morning that would make living in death barable. It's the fate that rips us apart that is evil. Fate is what you make it, though, so we can change the fate so that or love never dies."  
  
Sakura laughed again. "You sure have a way with words, Syoaran. No one could ever be mad at you," Sakura kissed Syoaran lightly on the lips. "Try telling my clan that!" muttered Syoaran with a chuckle. The laughed a little bit and Syoaran stood up, grasped Sakura's hand, kissed it, and pull Sakura up. "Come on. I'll treat you to dinner. He can discuss the whole Elders thing later," Syoaran proposed. "You sure like to apologize with food," Sakura commented. "Well, they say the way to a guys heart is through the stomach so, if that's true, that way a guy expresses his heart is through his stomach. So what is your stomach thinking?" Syoaran concluded with a question.  
  
"My stomach is thinking sushi,"  
  
"Great stomachs think alike!" Syoaran resolved, so they both walked out the door towards a nice restaurant.  
  
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~@  
  
After solving the immediate problem; coffee or ice cream, the magical duo agreed on ice cream. (Sakura won the debate)  
  
Then the two brainstormed on the more serious problem. They both came to the same conclusion: they had to go to China and work thins out with the Elders and Clan. They began to pack immediately.   
  
As soon as they had finished packing, Sakura made the necessary phone calls. "Moshi Moshi, Kinomoto residence" Touya picked up.   
  
"Hello, nii-chan. Is dad there?"  
"Yes, but he's busy"  
"I'm pregnant"  
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!"  
"Just kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahaha"  
"Don't ever do that to me again, kaijiu!"  
"Well, I just called to tell you that I was going to China for awhile. Me and Syoaran-chan have to sort some things out in China with his family. We're leaving on the next available flight."  
"That's almost as bad! I'm not going to let you go running of to China with that gaki by yourselves. You're not allowed to be a half an hour away alone with him, remember!?"  
"Yeah, Yeah, Touya. Just tell dad we're going,"  
"Don't you dare hang up on me!"  
"Bye, Touya!!"  
  
Sakura hung up the phone. Next Phone call;   
  
"Moshi Moshi, Tomoyo speaking"  
"Hi, Tomoyo"  
"I'm going to China. I'll need you back here in Japan to make sure Touya doesn't follow me and for moral support."  
"Sure Sakura. Call bi-dayly or I'm coming to China though"  
"Sure, Tomoyo. See ya!"  
"See ya!"  
  
Sakura hung up the phone for the second time. "Ready to go?" Syoaran was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. "Sure, let's go!" Sakura said cheerfully. Syoaran picked up the bags and they were off to China, hand in hand. What a trail they were in for.  
  
%%%%%%%%%%%%  
  
A magical force anticipated the arrival and informed the two other magical beings. They wanted their freedom, and their wholeness, and this girl kept it in the palm of her hand. They would get what they wanted no matter what, and they knew just the most effective way to destroy the Card Mistress. Hit her where it hurts most, in her painful past, her lovely present, and her uncertain future. (BIG HINT!!!!!)  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Well, what do you think!? This was sort of a second prologue. Most of the story to come was foretold in the last paragraph. I promise the chapters to come will be better and longer. PLEASE R&R!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the Reviews in advance.   
  
BlahBlahBlah  
  
PS. I have the dreaded Writer's Block monster in a big cage!!!! Thanks for the nuclear weapon idea! Mr.Snuggles is sort of burnt (Who am I kidding!? He was nuc'ed), but he doesn't regret helping me. (Big JK)  
  



	2. Cherry Blossom's Harsh Past

Disclaimer: I don't own the writes to basically anything, and especially not Card Captor Sakura.  
  
AN: I got 5 or 6 stitches over the weeked! I banged me knee on my grandma's diving board. Does anyone else have Alers-Danlose? (Alers-Danlose is a skin disorder by the way)  
  
AN2: I also got a new cat! His name is Hobbes the Magnificent!  
  
Lessons Of the Growing Heart- Part One: The Past  
Cherry Blossom's Painful Past  
by BlahBlahBlah  
  
  
  
Sakura and Syoaran got out of the taxi and walked toward the door to the main building of the Li estates. Both were suffering from serious jet lag. Syoaran had his arm around Sakura's waist and the two duffel bags slung over his shoulder. Li Feimei was the first to spot them out the window. "Ahhhhhh!!!!!! Mom!!!! Little brother is home!!!!!" She called through the house. All four sisters came out running of the house yelling for joy. They came up and there was a lot of hugging. They even, to Sakura's surprise, hugged Sakura with no reluctance!   
  
"Oh Sakura," Li Sheifa started, "You look even more beautiful than the last time you were here." Sakura looked at her quizzically. "Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked. All four sisters looked at each other in puzzlement like they had been asked if the sky was blue. "Sakura, anyone that our brother is madly in love with is welcome around here. And since he's never been madly in love with anyone before we haven't had anyone of his acquaintances to like or dislike," Li Fanren explained. Sakura smiled. Things were looking up.  
  
All six people walked into the house. "Welcome home, son. I'm glad you decided to come home. It was for the best, but I did tell you it would be best to come alone. I'm sorry, but Sakura can't stay forever. And what about her family if she did?" Li Leran asked worriedly.   
  
"I'm not here for good, mother. I'm here to work something out with the Elders so that everyone will be happy. I probably won't stay forever either. If things work out I might go back to Japan. No offense."  
  
"Well, we can discuss this later. Let's get you two settled in. Have I come to the correct assumption that you two have been living together for the past two years?" The Li sisters giggled when Li-san said that. "Awwww, wittle bwover is living with the cherry blossom!" Feimei giggled and pinched Syoaran's cheek, making him blush.   
  
"Well, while you're here I would prefer if Sakura stayed in the guest house again. She can have the same room as last time," Li-san informed. Syoaran was about to protest when Sakura interrupted, "That sounds like a good idea." Syoaran nodded his head in forced agreement, "I'll carry your bag up to your room, Sakura." "Oh no dear brother. We have a lot of teasing to catch up on. You've been gone too long." Fanren pulled Syoaran's arm toward the smaller dining room where lunch was just being served. "Do you need help with your bags, dear?" Li-san questioned to Sakura. "No, I'm fine. Thank you anyway," Sakura answered cheerfully and walked toward the guest house.  
  
  
Sakura walked down the barren stone walled hall. Every so often she would pass a door or a stone pillar. Once she passed an open door and saw a bunch of cooks scurrying around a very large kitchen. Sakura smiled. "Kero would love this room. I wonder if he ever found it?"   
  
The girl kept walked down the long hall. She couldn't see the door out of the building yet. As she passed a large stone pillar Sakura was caught with a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. It was the sensing of a clow card. Suddenly she was hit was an odd sensation. It wasn't like anything she had ever felt before. It was like being in a hot bath and being in a bikini in the arctic at the same time. The world slipped out from under Sakura and she was plummeted into unconsciousness. No one had seen Sakura fall, so she lay there, sprawled on her back on the ground, alone.  
  
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~#@  
  
  
The dark faded away in a mist and left her in a lonely hospital. There was a door open at the end of the hall. Sakura could hear crying. Her legs took here forward to the door. Inside Sakura saw someone she hadn't seen in thirteen years. Nadeshiko Kinomoto could barely open her eyes. The pulse monitor beeped to slowly for Sakura's comfort. There was a slow drip of morphine coming from a packet on a stand.  
  
Touya was crying in his father's lap in a corner of the room. Fujitaka sat in silent tears in a blue chair. They knew it was Nakeshiko's last moments. "Sakura!" Nadeshiko called quietly. She hadn't spoken in days. "Sakura's not here, honey. She's with Sonomi," Fujitaka informed his wife gently.   
  
"No, she's here. I can see her. She's right there!" She looked right where Sakura was standing. "I'm here mom," Sakura whispered with tears in here eyes. "She's not here, angel," Fujitaka disagreed and walked over to the hospital bed. "No, she's right there in front of me. She's in the doorway. I can see her. She's older. She's so beautiful," Nadeshiko countered peacefully. Sakura walked over to the bed. "Mom, I'm going to miss you so much," Sakura cried softly, "I want you to stay. You have to stay alive." Deep down Sakura knew it was no use. Nadeshiko would die. "Tell me, what's going one with you now Sakura? How are you?" Sakura's mother whispered almost silently.   
  
"Well, I'm going to get married to Syoaran, soon. *sniffle* We're in China right now. The last thing I can remember is fainting. Am I dead?"   
  
"You'll make such a beautiful bride. Do you love him?"  
  
"Yes, I love him so much mother. He's so wonderful,"  
  
"Syoaran will need your help, too. You have to help each other to survive. Or else you'll both perish. And now it's my time to go."  
  
"No, don't leave me again! I need you! Hold on mother! Don't leave me."  
  
"I wish I could have met this Syoaran. Anyone that could steal my daughter's heart is not a boy that can do wrong, peposefully. I'll miss you, Sakura. I love you."  
  
"Don't leave me. Mommy, I'm scared. Don't leave me!"  
  
The monitor went blank. The long, continuous buzzing drove into Sakura's heart. Nadeshiko's hand fell cold off the bed. Touya stood up. "Mommy! Mommy, wake up!!!" He ran to his mother's side. "Mommy, wake up! Shut up you stupid monitor!" the young Touya screamed and kicked the monitor over. Everyone's tears came harder. Touya was almost in convultions with sobs. Sakura and Fujitaka could only tremble in sobs.   
  
The sound dissipated and all Sakura could here was her rapid breath and heart. The nurses rushed in, but Sakura couldn't hear the things they were yelling at each other. She couldn't hear the crying. She couldn't here the clung and buzz of medical instruments. It was if she'd gone deaf. "Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed in anguish and pain that hurt on so many levels. It felt her whole self was frozen in ice and set fire from the core of a neutron star. The black consumed her again and hurtled her through the never ending night.  
  
~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~#@   
  
  
"No, no, no, no, no," Sakura's raspy teared voice whispered. Sakura opened her eyes to look into Syoaran's amber worried eyes. "Sakura, it ok. You're safe now," Syoaran embraced her comfortingly. "Oh, Syoaran. I want my mother," Sakura's tears continued to come into her eyes as she buried her head in Syoaran's chest. "Shhhhh...Everything's going to be all right," He stroked her hair.   
  
  
Sakura and Syoaran where sitting on the bed in the hospital wing of the Human Services Building of the Li estates. Sakura had been found by Syoaran when he escaped his sisters and made a mad dash for the guest house. His sisters had caught up with him as he was carrying Sakura to the hospital wing. They had made jokes at first like "Did she faint when she got a look at how handsome you really are?" and "Are you sure she isn't sick. I mean, she didn't even want to sleep in the same room with you," but as soon as they saw Syoaran was almost in tears with worry they stopped.  
  
Sakura had started talking in her sleep as they set her in the bed. They first words out were mumbled, but the next word was distinctly, 'Mommy'. After that all people had been sent out of the room by Syoaran. They had asked him why but he just screamed, "I SAID, 'OUT'!" Tsu Ling thought this was the bed thing to turn the family off Sakura. The Clan disliked weak people. This would be a major turn off. When they heard Sakura was screaming for her mommy they would practically cast her out immediately. This was Tsu Ling's big chance.  
  
~%~%~%~%(Later that Night)~%~%~%~%~%#@  
  
Sakura tried to smile at dinner. The time without Syoaran had made her able to smile without meaning it. She laughed once when Fuutie told her a funny joke. It seemed to be working. The facade seemed to make everyone feel a bit better. Some held to the position that she was possessed. Some still thought that she was mental. Some still thought the fumes from the kitchen should be checked and refused to eat their food.   
  
  
Syoaran kept glancing over at Sakura. He was talking to a very important looking Elder the rest of the time. He looked very worried. He wasn't sitting next to her because Li Fuutie and Fanren had wanted to sit next Sakura. Feimei and Sheifa sat next to their mother who looked very worried. In fact, the whole clan seemed to be more uptight than usual. The dinner seemed to be on it's toes.  
  
  
~%~%~%~%(After Dinner)~%~%~%~%~#@  
  
  
Syoaran was walking with Sakura outside along the beach. "Come on Sakura, I know something is wrong," Syoaran had his face in it's cold scowl. His expression always got like that when he was upset. Sakura looked at her feet and kept walking. Syoaran grabbed her hands and turned her to face him. "Tell me. What's wrong? What is it? Is it the clan? Are they pressuring you to much? Does it have something to do with why you fainted earlier?"  
  
Sakura started crying again, "Syoaran, it's another card. I know it is, but I don't know how to fight it! It gets inside my head and makes me pass out! Then it shows me things from my past that I never wanted to see again. It shows me my mother dying and everyone is crying. Oh, Syoaran, it's horrible! It hurts so much!" Syoaran rapped his arms around her. "We can fight this like any other card, can't we?" He asked into her hair. "No," she sobbed, " As soon as I sense it, it takes control. I don't have time to think. It's too fast and I can't see it!" Syoaran didn't say anything. He had never heard of such a thing. How could there be a card that strong? So fast?  
  
"Come on, I'll walk you back to the house," Syoaran finally offered. "I don't want to go back to the house. I don't want to be around a lot of people. I want to be where no one can find me," Sakura explained quietly and looked at the sand beneath her feet. The tide tickled her toes lightly. "I have an idea!" Syoaran exclaimed and grabbed Sakura's hand. He rushed off toward the end of the peninsula.  
  
At the end of the peninsula was a small cavern in a mini-fjord. You had to hop over a large boulder and move a small boulder to get the mouth of the cavern. Inside was cold and damp, but not all that unpleasant.  
  
"I found this place while I was in a practice battle. I actually fell down here because of a footing mistake. It was a mistake worth all of my opponent's teasing. It seems to have a magical barrier around it. No one can sense any magic inside from the outside," Syoaran explained and ran his hand along the stone wall.   
  
"Wow. Who was your apponent?" Sakura inquired and surveyed her surroundings. "Tsu Ling," Syoaran didn't turn to face Sakura. He seemed to be embarrassed about it. He continued, "She's a pretty good fighter for novice. She's never been really serious about fighting, but she's fierce when she does fight. She doesn't have any powers, but her strength is astounding. She's almost as strong as Mao was a before I fought him in the Appeal Challenge. I don't think she'll ever mount to anything." "This is all too complicated for me," Sakura admitted shyly.  
  
"So how long do you plan to stay here?" Syoaran asked after a few moment's pause. "I don't know. I just know I don't want to face any of them yet," Sakura looked at her feet, "I'm sort of tired. Do you know where would be a good place to take a nap?" "Not really. This place is just basically sand and rock," Syoaran confessed. Then he offered, "I could sit with my back against the wall and you could lay your head on my lap."  
  
"You wouldn't mind?"  
  
"Of course not,"  
  
Soon Sakura was in sweet slumber, snuggled against Syoaran's chest. Syoaran was asleep soon as well. The jet-lag had worn them both out.  
  
~%~%~%~%~%~(About a Half Hour Later)%~%~%~#@  
  
  
Sakura was having an odd dream. Kero was stuck in a watermelon and was rolling in circles around the Tokyo tower. Syoaran was eating like mad at his dinner table. He had already eaten six tall plates of Chinese food and there was much more piled in front of him. Tomoyo was videotaping it all, but her video camera kept changing colors. Tomoyo, Touya, and Fujitaka had wings, but they were chained to the ground. Touya looked angry, Tomoyo looked disappointed, and Fujitaka looked sad. Then there where four Fujitakas! One had a frown, but had a smile mask. One had a smile, but had a frowning mask. Another had a smile and no mask. The last one had a frown, but had his head buried under a paper bag. Then Touya turned into a rabid dog.  
  
Then there was all the Li Clan. Sakura was in a very elegant bathroom. She was wearing one of Tomoyo's funny fashions. She was sitting in the tub with all the Li Clan looking down on her. Then they all took out buckets and threw the warm, salty water on Sakura until the bathtub was full, yet her hair wasn't wet. In the back of her mind she could see and hear her window view from the guest room.   
  
Then all the water disappeared and so did everything else. Sakura could still feel the water, but she couldn't see it. Then the water started shaking her. She could hear it say her name in the waves. Her name became screaming. Her name was screamed so loud and the waves shook her so hard that it dragged her from her sleep into consciousness.  
  
#####################  
  
Syoaran was in panic. He shook Sakura harder and harder. How could he have forgotten about the tides! If she didn't wake up they would both drown. The water was already up to their shoulders as they still kneeled on the ground and the cavern was rapidly filling with water fast.  
  
Sakura slowly came to consciousness. "What? What's happening?" Sakura rubbed her eyes. "I forgot about the tides and I didn't know this cave filled with water at high tide! That's why it was wet in here. We have to get out or we'll die!" Syoaran exclaimed. This brought Sakura around. She look at the water around them. It was almost to her chin!   
  
They both scrambled to the cave entrance. The bolder was open only a crack. Not enough for a human to fit through. The water made it almost impossible to move the bolder. It just sank lower into the water-saturated sand. Syoaran tried to pull it open until the water was up to Sakura's chest when they where standing.   
  
Sakura began to cry. Somehow Sakura's tears managed to trigger something in Syoaran. He reached over and caressed her face, then got a very determined look on his face and tried moving the bolder again. The adrenaline rushing through his veins allowed him to move the bolder out of the way with no more than a struggle. (AN: Don't you love it when Syoaran is being heroic!)  
  
Syoaran managed to move the bolder enough that the two could just squeeze out. They weren't in the clear yet though. The current swiftly swept them out of the mini-fjord. Both struggled to stay afloat and stay together. The current swept them back and forth, like it couldn't decide where to toss them; on the sand or into the sea. The magical couple swam frantically for the beach.   
  
Sakura suddenly felt a familiar feeling. 'No, please, don't take me now! I can't faint now! I'll die if I faint now! Please, don't take me!' Sakura begged in her mind. The card pulled her into her nightmare without sleep. Her body went lip in to water, free to sink.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hee hee hee! Cliffhanger! Hee hee hee.   
  
Tsu Ling is Ba~ack! Bwahahahaha! She was such a good villain (Or at I think so) I decided to put her in this fiction too! Plus, she never really got finished with her plan in the old fiction either. Mao is coming back too! Yeah! Mao!  
  
Please R&R  
  
Ahhhhh, the Writer's Block Monster is missing! I went to feed it it's meal of awful books and articles and it wasn't there. I can tell it's far away, but I'll have to be on the look out if it comes back!  
  
ja ne  
BlahBlahBlah  
  



End file.
